"I'm awful sorry, Delight, truly I am. But I'm 'most sure Father will let me give you other fish to make up for them."
"No, of course not. But we'll get prettier ones."
"Oh, no, you needn't get any fish at all. I'd rather have a kitten."
"Oh, I can get you a kitten easily enough. James always knows where to get them. What color do you want?"
"Gray; Maltese, you know. Will he get it to-day?"
"I'll ask Mother to ask him to-day. He'll get it soon, I know."
"All right; I'd heaps rather have that than fish. I'm tired of goldfish, anyway. You can't cuddle them like you can kittens. And I never had a kitten."
"You didn't! Why, Delight Spencer! I never heard of a girl that had _never_ had a kitten! I'll ask Mother to see about it right away. Do you want two?"
"Yes, as many as I can have. I ought to have four to make up for those goldfish."
"You can have four, if your mother'll let you," said Midget. "Ask her."
"Oh, she'll let me. She never says no to anything I want. Does your mother?"
"Yes, often. But then, I want such crazy things."
"So do I. But I get them. Go on and see about the kittens."
So Midget went to the telephone and told her mother the whole story about the goldfish.
Mrs. Maynard was surprised at Marjorie's ignorance of fish's habits, but she didn't scold.
"I do think," she said "that you should have known better; but of course I know you didn't intend to harm the fish. And anyway we won't discuss it over the telephone. I'll wait until we're together again."
"You'll have to keep a list of all my mischief, Mother," said Midget, cheerfully; "and do up the scolding and punishing all at once, when I get home."
"Yes, but don't get into mischief while you're over there. Do try, Marjorie, to behave yourself."
"I will, Mother, but I'm so tired of staying here I don't know what to do. Delight heard me say that, but I can't help it. I expect she's tired of having me here."
"I am not!" declared Delight; "now ask her about the kittens."
So Marjorie asked her mother about the kittens, and Mrs. Maynard promised to ask James to see if he couldn't find some that would be glad of a good home.
And so anxious was James to please his dear Miss Marjorie, and so numerous were kittens among James' circle of personal acquaintances, that that very afternoon, a basket was set on the Spencer's porch and the door bell was rung.